When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under – Matthew 2:16

Sunday morning in church the scripture featured Matthew’s chilling account of King Herod and the Magi, along with the King’s fear that somebody would come along and take away his power.

Then, just a few days ago I listened to a fascinating history podcast focused specifically on Herod’s reign. He really was a bonafide despot and the reporting of his behavior from Matthew 2:16-18 seems to be completely in character. Sending uniformed thugs into homes to drag defenseless people into the street is exactly what fearful, amoral dictators do.

Herod, interestingly, is not only cruel and unprincipled but he spends much of the nation’s scant resources on large-scale construction projects and building monuments to honor himself. He is self-obsessed, self-congratulatory and self-serving.

Herod first came to power (in 37 BCE) when he offered to subdue Judea on behalf of Rome and make it a client state. Octavian (later Augustus) gave him a legion and he took control. Herod eventually had his own wife executed plus three of his four sons when he believed they were gaining too much influence.

Jesus’ power is real:

So God sends this defenseless baby, this tiny child, this Prince of Peace into the heart of Herod’s territory and what we get is, essentially, the exact opposite of Herod. Because Jesus leads by serving, his richness is his generosity and his might is not terrifying but beautiful.

Jesus leads by serving, his richness is his generosity and his might is not terrifying but beautiful.

Jesus gives power away. Jesus offers his strength to the weak. Jesus finds the outcast, the foreigner and the dispossessed and he lifts them up. Jesus says “I am going to suffer and die so that you won’t have to.”

Jesus even looks at the cowardly bully hiding behind armed guards and he invites him home.

There is no limit to what real power and respect and leadership can achieve: “And of the increase of his government and of peace there shall be no end.”

Peace. Decency. Humility. An encourager. The heart of a servant. Jesus lifts people up. This is what authentic leadership looks like! – DEREK

For to us a child is born,
    to us a son is given;
and the government shall be upon his shoulder,
    and his name shall be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
    Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Of the increase of his government and of peace
    there will be no end,
on the throne of David and over his kingdom,
    to establish it and to uphold it
with justice and with righteousness
    from this time forth and forevermore.
The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this. – Isaiah 9:6-7